IMAGES AT TWILIGHT

This second entry by Saga brings in a change of keyboardists to Greg Chadd who assume the role after Peter Rochon. They both did the role well and since Saga relies heavily on keyboards that is a good thing. I have to admit that when this album was released and I bought it, it played differently to me in some ways. Of this and the previous debut I am more sold on the latter in some ways and in some ways this album is a better entry. The sound quality of this album is not that good. It comes across muffled to me. It would be later that they would get a better produced record.

We have 2 new Chapters in this album. They were marked by The Chapters which are songs that appeared on several of the first albums and then were brought back later. The band revealed these over a 28-year period in a mixed-up order, creating a conceptual puzzle. In its final form, The Chapters tells a science fiction story concerning the preservation of Albert Einstein's brain, aliens who are concerned with humanity's self-destruction, and the resurrection of the dead through technology. We have chapters 4 and 6 on this album. Being that I started listening to them early on, this story on the chapters was not ever revealed until after they were done presenting the songs so if you are looking for the meaning I recommend their live album titled none other than "The Chapters."

"Slow Motion" I liked as it is a just a strange track and flows well. "See Them Smile" has some good guitar work that stands out well. "Hot To Cold" and "You're Not Alone" are similar in their structures. I liked "Images" with its softer beginning and then moving into a beat and the dramatic and atmospheric ending was great leading into the final track. and "Mouse In A Maze", the latter being one of my favorite Saga songs. The intro to that song is great and the song's quicker pace on the first half of the verses and slower pace on the second half gives it a spin. It is a great ending to the album.

When it comes to Saga I always recommend people get their first 4 albums because they take us from their roots to what was their closest point to stardom (World's Apart) before they went to the pop side of the Force. This record is part of that story and if for only that reason it is worthy of a good rating.